Yallingup Siding based winemakers Goon Tycoons have made the top 50 in the Young Gun of Wine awards for the second year running. The awards recognise Australia's best young wine labels and rising winemakers with judges tasting 250 wines to determine the top 50. The awards take place in June, coinciding with Goon Tycoons winemaker Julian Langworthy's 40th birthday making it the last time the "young guns" maybe able to enter the competition. Goon Tycoons is a side project for Mr Langworthy and viticulturist John Fogarty who experiment with some of the lesser known and alternative grape varieties they come across from around the South West. Mr Langworthy said while they focused on making the world's best Cabernet, chardonnay and rose at Deep Woods, Goon Tycoons kept things interesting and fresh. "We found some troldego and when we made it I had never even tried one in my life, Goon Tycoons makes a pretty inspiring change," he said. "We make small batches and do things like a whole month fermentation which is a process we do not need within our day jobs. "We also get to explore outside the Margaret River region, even though we love the area, we also take fruit from Pemberton, Franklin and Geographe." Viticulturist John Fogarty said they entered a fiano and a shiraz in the competition and entered wines which were different in the spirit of the awards. Mr Fogarty said everyday they looked at vineyards and made wine for Deep Woods Estate and Evans and Tate seeing a lot of fruit which they could not buy for those brands. "There is stuff we see which we think is great but they do not suit those portfolios," he said. "Goon Tycoons has given us the option to be able to use those lots or varietals, the brand was started for that reason to try and grab the things which were different. "We are able to play around with stuff that are not everyday makes - so not chardonnay or Cabernet which are the main ones here. "We do make a rose which is quite different to the Deep Woods rose, it is infused with four varieties from Pemberton." Mr Fogarty said while they had experienced a few disasters most of the wines they had made turned out for the better. "There have been the odd couple which were challenging, but that is the whole thing, if you are not pushing yourself you would not aim to do your best."

Goon Tycoons make top 50 in Young Gun of Wine awards

Yallingup Siding based winemakers Goon Tycoons have made the top 50 in the Young Gun of Wine awards for the second year running.

The awards recognise Australia's best young wine labels and rising winemakers with judges tasting 250 wines to determine the top 50.

The awards take place in June, coinciding with Goon Tycoons winemaker Julian Langworthy's 40th birthday making it the last time the "young guns" maybe able to enter the competition.

Goon Tycoons is a side project for Mr Langworthy and viticulturist John Fogarty who experiment with some of the lesser known and alternative grape varieties they come across from around the South West.

Mr Langworthy said while they focused on making the world's best Cabernet, chardonnay and rose at Deep Woods, Goon Tycoons kept things interesting and fresh.

"We found some troldego and when we made it I had never even tried one in my life, Goon Tycoons makes a pretty inspiring change," he said.

"We make small batches and do things like a whole month fermentation which is a process we do not need within our day jobs.

"We also get to explore outside the Margaret River region, even though we love the area, we also take fruit from Pemberton, Franklin and Geographe."

Viticulturist John Fogarty said they entered a fiano and a shiraz in the competition and entered wines which were different in the spirit of the awards.

Mr Fogarty said everyday they looked at vineyards and made wine for Deep Woods Estate and Evans and Tate seeing a lot of fruit which they could not buy for those brands.

"There is stuff we see which we think is great but they do not suit those portfolios," he said.

"Goon Tycoons has given us the option to be able to use those lots or varietals, the brand was started for that reason to try and grab the things which were different.

"We are able to play around with stuff that are not everyday makes - so not chardonnay or Cabernet which are the main ones here.

"We do make a rose which is quite different to the Deep Woods rose, it is infused with four varieties from Pemberton."

Mr Fogarty said while they had experienced a few disasters most of the wines they had made turned out for the better.

"There have been the odd couple which were challenging, but that is the whole thing, if you are not pushing yourself you would not aim to do your best."